Gun deer season gets off to slow, soggy start in SE Wisconsin

EAGLE, Wis. (CBS 58) --

From his tree stand at Kettle Moraine State Forest, Carsten Western knew right away the opening day of gun deer season, wouldn't be a long one. 

    "Good steady rain, turned to a heavy wet snow," he says. "I didn't see anything." 

Across Southeastern Wisconsin, a mixture of rain and snow made for a difficult opening day.

    "They move around more when they can see better," says Western. "They're not as scared when they can move around, and for us it's nicer to be out in the sun than to be wet." 

By mid-morning, the Edge of Town Cafe in Palmyra was full of blaze orange, as hunters took a break to dry off. 

    "It's cold and wet, and they're only seeing a few deer here and there," said manager Urine Selimi. "Everybody's still excited, hunting's big here." 

It was a disappointing start for many, in a season with plenty of changes.

For the first time, there's no minimum age for hunters this year. 

Hunters can also register their deer online, one of a handful of changes implemented by the DNR. 

    "It's good to see they're trying to make it more convenient."

Western left his 4-year-old at home, despite the loosened regulations. 

    "He's dying to go, but probably when he's about 7," he said. 

Western and others will head back to the woods tomorrow. The season officially runs through November 26th.